Leg-holder for use in lithotomy.



No. 665,77I. Patented Ian. 8, I90l. W. W. DEAN.

LEG HOLDER FOR USE IN LITHOTOMY.

(Appficltion filed my 11, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Minna;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIS W'. DEAN, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

LEG-HOLDER FOR USE IN LITHOTQMY.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 665,771, dated January 8, 1901.

Application filed May 11, 1900. Serial No. 16,351. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS W. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Surgical Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a surgical appliance in the nature of a holder for the legs of a person, devised particularly for use during the operation known as lithotomy, though it may be used under other conditions; and it has for one object to render unnecessary the services of an attendant during the operation, as by its use the surgeon alone may secure and steadily hold the legs and body of the patient, and this without the requirements of expensive and complicated apparatus in the nature of operating-tables and the like. It has for a further object to produce an article of the kind referred to which is simple in construction and portable, so that it may be easily carried by the surgeon.

In the drawings wherein the preferred form of my invention is illustrated, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the article. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view, enlarged, of one end of the device, parts being broken away.

The device consists, essentially, of a crossbar, a pair of bands or leg engaging and holding pieces adj ustably mounted upon the crossbar, and legs for supporting and steadying the device.

In the drawings, A represents the central section of the cross-bar, and B and C the end sections, these parts being telescopically united and provided with set-screws n and s, by means of which the cross-bar is extensible, and the parts of which it is composed may be secured in the various positions to which they may be adjusted. It is evident that the crossbar might be made of a single piece; but I much prefer to form it as described, because thereby the capabilities of its use are greatly increased, as the device can then be adjusted for use in connection with the support upon which the patient may lie, whatever its width, and, further, it may be adjusted into a very compact form for convenience in carrying.

I I represent bands orleg-engaging pieces, each preferably of bow or half-circle form,

with the open side of the bow outward. The inner ends a and b of the leg-engaging pieces I are formed to encircle the parts 0 and B, respectively, of the cross-bar, being thus connected with and adjustable thereupon. Setscrews 1' and t are used to hold these legengaging pieces securely in the positions to which they may be adjusted.

The cross-bar is provided at each end with a leg or support adapted to rest upon the floor, such legs being arranged in a plane at right angles to the plane in which the leg-engaging pieces or bands I are situated. Each leg is preferably made of two parts E and F, telescopically united, so that the legs are extensible, and the cross-bar may be adjusted vertically and held at the proper height. The upper leg-section F is united with one of the sections of the cross-bar bya connecting-pin c, which pin is removable and is adapted to engage with any of a series of apertures 00 in the cross-bar, thus permitting the leg to be adjusted lengthwise of the cross-bar. The lower section E of the leg is preferably provided with a cushion or footpieceo and slides over the upper section, to which it is united by a set-screw e.

H H represent diagonal braces between the legs and the cross-bar. Pins r, which are preferably removable, as are the pins 0, unite the upper ends of the braces and the cross bar.

G G represent the ends of a strap connected with the outer ends of the leg engaging or holding bands or pieces I, which are formed with slots or eyes h for that purpose, the straps serving to assist in holding the device in place when being used.

The way in which the device already described is used in the operation of lithotomy I will now state. The patients thighs are flexed upon the abdomen and the cross-bar arranged under the knees,with the bands or leg-engaging pieces I engaging with the legs at or about the knees. The strap G is then passed around the body over one shoulder and under the other and made fast. The legs of the device are then adjusted and secured in position, serving to prevent any sideto-side motion of the device and holding it in the proper vertical position.

The several adjustments of the device which have been described permit of its being so adjusted and used as to properly hold the patient in many different positions required for different surgical operations and that, too, without requiring the assistance of an attendant.

The device maybe adjusted to suit and be used in connection with any operating-table, office-chair, bed, or lounge.

The parts may be made of wood or of metal, preferably steel or aluminium, as found most desirable.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s*

1. A surgical appliance comprising a crossbar, a pair of leg engaging and holding pieces carried thereby and supports near the ends of the cross-bar adapted to rest upon the floor, substantially as set forth.

2. A surgical appliance comprising a crossbar, a pair of leg engaging and holding pieces carried thereby and supports near the ends of the cross-bar adapted to rest upon the floor, the leg engaging and holding pieces, and the supports being arranged in planes substantially at right angles to each other, substantially as set forth.

3. A surgical appliance comprising a crossbar, a pair of leg engaging and holding pieces adjustable thereon, and extensible legs for supporting. the cross-bar from the floor, substantially as set forth.

4. A surgical appliance comprising a crossbar the leg engaging and holding pieces, and the supporting-legs, the latter being adjustable toward and from each other, substantially as set forth. Y

5. A surgical appliance comprising an extensible cross-bar formed of a plurality of parts, supporting-legs carried by the separate parts of the cross-bar, and leg engaging and holding pieces carried by the cross-bar, sub

as set forth.

WILLIS W. DEAN.

Witnesses:

W. H. FARNSWORTH, MUSA F. MCINTOSH. 

